LA MOCA Trustee on Artist Board Resignations: ‘Losing Them Is a Serious Blow. I Was Very, Very Upset.’

Art in America has surveyed three members of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art board in the wake of the deaprture of chief curator Paul Schimmel and the four artists John Baldessari, Barbara Kruger, Catherine Opie and Ed Ruscha, who sat on the board.

NICHOLAS I think the departure of the artists from the board is a serious blow to the museum. The museum was started for and by artists and artists have always played a very important role in the function of the museum. Those four are all superstars in their own way. Losing them is a serious blow. I was very, very upset. I was not aware of the artist resignations in the works before they happened.